Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday commissioned the Yaba Bus Terminal.
Built by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), the bus station is an ancillary infrastructure that will complement the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line currently being constructed by the Sanwo-Olu administration along the Yaba corridor.
The terminal will connect to the Red Metro station to facilitate an integrated mass transit and seamless connectivity among all means of land transportation.
While inaugurating the terminal, Sanwo-Olu noted that the delivery of the infrastructure became a priority for his government to boost the efficiency of public transportation service on the axis.
He also said the complementary rail line would be ready in the next 18 months and that would give commuters options to choose the transportation mode they would prefer to get to their destinations.
“Yaba corridor is prominent feature in the Lagos State Transportation Master Plan, because of its peculiar nature as a melting pot of commercial, technological and academic activities. The city’s evolution over the years places enormous responsibility on the Government to ensure that its dynamism and growth are sustained through balanced development,” Governor Sanwo-Olu said.
“The facility being commissioned today is a world-class terminal from which buses will originate and terminate. In the next 18 months, this bus terminal will be integrated with the Yaba station of the Red Metro Line that is being constructed close to the terminal. The Yaba Bus Terminal reflects our vision for regulated bus services, which the State Government currently champions through Traffic Management and Transportation pillar of our T.H.E.M.E.S agenda.”
The governor said transportation services in the corridor would be supported by the recently launched First and Last Mile (FLM) Bus – a community-based transportation scheme that will take passengers from the inner routes to the major transit corridors to join either the rail or BRT buses to their destinations.
He added that in the last two years, his administration had been working to deliver transportation infrastructure that supports the state’s economy.
He, therefore, urged residents to take ownership of the project and protect the bus station from vandalism.
“All projects being delivered by the Government are being provided for public good. It is our collective responsibility to protect these assets. If anyone notices any abnormality, do not hesitate to say something about it. It is our civic duty to report wrongdoing and the destruction of public infrastructure to the security agencies and Government officials for prompt action,” the governor said.
Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladehinde, also noted that the Yaba Bus Station is the third to be delivered by the governor, disclosing that three new terminals in Ojota, Ajah and Ifako-Ijaiye would be added to public transportation assets before the end of the year.
“We are providing bus services into communities that are far away from the main transit corridors to cushion the effects of restrictions of the operations of commercial motorcycles and tricycles in areas where they are banned by the Government,” Oladehinde said.
The terminal is one of the most modern of all bus termini in terms of design and physical attractiveness.
The white teflon covering being a waterproof fabric gives the terminal a unique look and would complement our Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line rail infrastructure which are just on the horizon.
The ongoing Yaba Train Station which would be integrated with this Yaba Bus terminal, thus making Yaba a major transport interchange.
On the left is Murtala Muhammed Way, which will be the take-off point for the overpass bridge over the rail lines to take traffic into Ojuelegba Road. The overpass bridge is government’s answer to eliminating the incidences of train accidents at level crossings.
The bus terminal has loading and off-loading bay for up to 15 midi and 4 high capacity buses per loading time, stable for 20 high capacity buses and public conveniences, water treatment plant, perimeter fencing, perimeter lightning.
It has a generator house with 200KVA generator and 500KVA transformer, muster point in case of emergency, pedestrian walkway, external lighting, Traffic system management (TSM) and signage among others.
Terminal Building consists of:
• Ticketing Area and sitting area
• Restaurant area with kitchenette
• Commercial stores:
• Control room
• Passenger information display board
• Offices
• ATM point
• Sit out area on the first floor
The buses from the Yaba Bus Terminal shall run the following routes:
- Yaba – Lawanson – Itire Ijesha – Cele
- Yaba – Iyana-Ipaja
- Yaba – Berger
- UNILAG – Yaba
- Ikeja – Yaba – Oyingbo
